Round 1 vs St George/Illawarra Dragons

[1999]

Sunday March 10 @ AAMI Park 3:00pm Kick-off

Potential Line-ups:

Melbourne Storm

1. Billy SLATER
2. Mahe FONUA
3. Will CHAMBERS
4. Junior SA'U
5. Justin O'NEILL
6. Gareth WIDDOP
7. Cooper CRONK
8. Jesse BROMWICH
9. Cameron SMITH (c)
10. Bryan NORRIE
11. Tohu HARRIS
12. Ryan HOFFMAN
13. Ryan HINCHCLIFFE

14. Brett FINCH
15. Lagi SETU
16. Siosaia VAVE
17. Jason RYLES


St George/Illawarra Dragons

1. Gerard BEALE
2. Brett MORRIS
3. Chase STANLEY
4. Matt COOPER
5. Jason NIGHTINGALE
6. Jamie SOWARD
7. Josh DRINKWATER
8. Micheal WEYMAN
9. Mitch REIN
10. Micheal HENDERSON
11. Tyson FRIZZEL
12. Ben CREAGH (c)
13. Trent MERRIN

14. Cameron KING
15. Bronson HARRISON
16. Jack DE BELIN
17. Jack STOCKWELL


Prediction: STORM 30 DRAGONS 10
FTS: Mahe FONUA
MOTM: Cooper CRONK

[blazza18]

Fien is the halfback I think unless Price changes things up. Drinkwater should be the halfback though.

Will be tougher than what people expect but we should get the win here. Dragons offer nothing in Attack. Edge defense needs to improve.

[sallymay]

Bellamy sent junior sau up to qld to play for east tigers but the game was cancelled

[bushman]

Good to see the Duff man looking good for the weekend I think Storm may be of thier game a little but from what I have seen of the Dragons I think tight first half and Storm to run away in the second after we start to get our timing sorted out a bit.

Strom 18 - Dragons 4

Go the Mighty Melbourne Strom.


Its Melbourne against the rest!

[Mattpoet]

After seeing training today, I would think the following team will be named on Tuesday, whether that is what runs out or not I don't know, but, these were the 19 who were training as the main group:

1.Slater
2.Duffie
3.O'Neill
4.Chambers
5.O'Neill
6.Widdop
7.Cronk
8.J.Bromwich
9.Smith (c)
10.Norrie
11.Harris
12.Hoffman
13.Hinchcliffe
14.Finch
15.Ryles
16.Vave
17.Moors
18.Hampton
19.Blair

[blazza18]

Juzzy playing both wing and centre aye Matt

[yourhero]

Haha, he's good but not THAT good to pull that off!

I assume he meant to put Fonua on the other wing.

Is Blair's face really recovered enough to play if needed? That would be quite a quick turnaround on a cheekbone fracture...

[Mattpoet]

I did mean fonua, oops...

[bula]

Seriously can't remember the last time we didnt have a Kiwi in the starting second row. From Nikau to Kearney, Rua, Kiwell, Blair, Smith, Manu, & now Harris & Proctor

[stormfan2010]

Storm by 16 and billy MOM going on his energy in the WCC .
I'd love to see 20,000 into the ground , what's everyone's crowd predictions ?

[sallymay]

20k proberly not with momba and the basketball on as well I'd be happy with 10 to 15k

[Mattpoet]

In terms of Kiwis in the 2nd row, Cahill might have started a couple of games as well, we should probably have picked two fans' team last year, an Aussie one and a Kiwi one lol

[stormy]

I can`t wait to be in Melbourne next week for kickoff.. Ticketek said ticket sales were going really well so I expect a great crowd.

[LESStar58]

20k proberly not with momba and the basketball on as well I'd be happy with 10 to 15k

Wha? Basketball? Don't make me laugh! Maybe if it was still the early to mid 90s I would probably agree with you. Sadly, the NBL does not have a single player that could be considered a draw card and, more importantly, a lack of NBA superstar worthy of representing the sport in the manner that Michael Jordan did.

No more than 21k in my estimation will be at AAMI on Sunday arvo.

[LESStar58]

Also remember that no team in the NRL have the travelling support that the Dragons do. Plus there is a large contingent of Melbourne based Saints fans. Throw in the fact that both clubs despise each other and you are bound to have at least 2-3k on top of what you might expect from a normal Melbourne marquee match up....